The iPod may become a second class citizen in Apple's retail stores in the US. A new report claims that beginning August 26, all iPods in those stores will be moved from the main display area over to the accessory shelves.
According to 9to5Mac's unnamed sources:
Typically reserved for accessories like Apple Watch bands, headphones, and iPhone cases, Apple Store accessory walls will now be home to the recently-updated iPod line. Apple products, ranging from iPods to iPads to Macs, have typically been stored in the back of Apple Stores and brought to a customer upon the point of sale. Now, when a customer wants to buy an iPod, she or he can simply pull it off a shelf without needing to wait for the product to be brought from the back room.
In addition, the iPad 2-based Smart Signs, which are placed next to Macs, iPhones and the latest iPads in Apple Stores to show things like pricing and product information, will also be removed next week as well. Instead, the products themselves will display that information directly:
Some larger Apple Stores will retain a few Smart Signs as Apple conducts this transition. Sources say that, beyond the desire to feature more products on store tables and to replace the aging iPad 2s, Apple is removing Smart Signs because it found that the setup is confusing for some customers. Retail employees note that some customers were unaware that the Smart Signs were simply informational items and became confused when they could not fully use the device as a demo iPad.
Source: 9to5Mac
